The Role Played by Adrenal Hormones in the Increase of Liver Tyrosine Aminotransferase Activity of Rats Subjected to Trauma

Abstract

Adrenomedullectomy performed 6 weeks and/or an i.p. administration of 0.1 mg/0.1 ml/100 gm b.w. of reserpine, 42 and 18 hours before performing experiments, were without influence on the increase of liver tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity of rats, observable 90 minutes after a low, "stress producing" dose of Noble-Collip drum trauma. Post-traumatic increase of enzyme activity also remained unaltered by i.p. injections of 10 µg/0.1 ml/100 gm b.w. of adrenaline, applied immediately and 60 minutes after injury. However, hypophysectomy performed in a group of animals 4-5 weeks before use completely eliminated this response. A dose of 100 µg/100 gm of corticosterone i.p. also increased liver TAT activity, 90 minutes later. It is concluded that the posttraumatic increase of TAT activity is a consequence of hypercorticosteronemia, mediated very probably by ACTH, catecholamines being without any influence upon this response.

Key words

Adrenaline - Reserpine - Hypophysectomy - Adrenomedullectomy - Plasma Corticosterone - Glycemia - Liver Tyrosine Aminotransferase - Liver Glycogen - Trauma